Osler’s formalized research program is building a strong base of evidence to achieve its corporate and clinical goals

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Osler operates in a unique community. As one of Canada’s largest community hospitals, Osler has exceptionally high patient volumes, including the second highest number of emergency department visits and the third highest number of births in Ontario. Osler also serves one of the most demographically diverse populations in the country, including new Canadians, people of various cultural backgrounds, young families, and a growing number of seniors.

In addition, there is a close relationship between research and front-line care, as the vast majority of Osler researchers are also practicing clinicians. This creates a natural opportunity to apply what is learned to inform the design of new and innovative care delivery practices that advance patient care.

Osler’s formalized research program is building a strong base of evidence from which to achieve its corporate and clinical goals. This includes improving the quality of patient care and outcomes, strengthening expertise in treating diverse populations, supporting the shift to preventative-proactive-predictive care, and creating a culture of innovation to support excellence and continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Beyond being in an exceptional position to conduct research, Osler also has considerable strengths on which to build its Research Program, including ongoing research, valuable data sets, and established partnerships.

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Osler’s new Research Program builds on years of clinical research conducted by its clinician-researchers and their partners across this community and around the world. Many of these clinician-researchers have experience working in academic settings and both the expertise and professional relationships to establish new research within their fields. Others, though new to research, are experts in their disciplines.

Through Osler’s existing clinical information systems, the organization has access to a wealth of data, and is committed to further investing in information infrastructure to enhance the ability to collect, store, retrieve and analyze data. As part of Osler’s journey toward patient-inspired care, a Service Excellence program was launched to capture patient feedback data to help inform how care is delivered and ensure every patient has a consistently excellent experience. Osler’s Research Program will help further embed research into clinical care.

Osler recognizes that this ambitious agenda can’t be achieved alone. Established relationships with key partners in the research sector, across the health system and in the global business community are critical to its continued success. Partnerships with other health services providers are enabling system-wide research and extending Osler’s work beyond health and into the social determinants of health and wellness.

Osler will harness research program outputs to support its journey toward patient-inspired care and help fuel health care system transformation in this region and beyond. The program will provide enormous benefits to patients, providers and partners in this community – and be of tremendous value to communities across Canada and around the world.

Osler's Research Priorities

Research will focus on four priority areas, each aligned with Osler’s corporate and clinical priorities and what it is uniquely positioned to do. In each area, Osler will examine the emerging role of health care technologies. Advancements in the development and application of such technologies have the potential to improve patient experiences, increase access to care and extend the capacity of limited health human resources. Osler will be positioned as a hub for the evaluation of new patient-inspired technologies which will enhance health outcomes and enable community-centred care.